CS480 Robotics & 3D Printing

Course Description

Self-driving cars, 3D printers, and computer-controlled machine tools are modern applications of a common software core of path planning and motion control. This course will cover the mathematical background in 3D computational geometry, hands-on applications such as designing and printing high strength robot parts, and online algorithms for driving robots. Specific topics will be adapted according to student interest, but will include parametric 3D part design in the OpenSCAD constructive solid geometry programming language, computational geometry such as 3D printer slicing algorithms, creating and optimizing offline motion plans such as gcode, robot control system design and construction with Arduino microcontrollers and off-the-shelf motor controllers, network-centric robotics using the UAF-developed SuperStar web infrastructure, robot online motion control algorithms, computer vision techniques such as color matching and machine-readable markers, and algorithms for mobile robot localization and navigation in structured and unstructured environments. Hands-on experiments and tools will be available in Chapman 205, including several 3D printers, CNC hardware, and a variety of mobile robots including Roombas and LAYLA telepresence hardware. Prerequisites: CS 311 or equivalent experience programming complex applications in a modern language like C++ or Python, and Math 252 (Calculus III).

Tentative Schedule

1. Fri, Sep 04

   Student survey, and tour of mobile robot and computer aided manufacturing applications

2. Mon, Sep 07

   Labor Day (offices closed — no classes, registration or fee payment)

   • HW0: Arduino stepper driver

3. Wed, Sep 09

   Robot control system design with Arduino microcontrollers and the Wiring framework

4. Fri, Sep 11

   Interfacing with off-the-shelf brushed DC, brushless three phase, and stepper motor controllers (add deadline)

5. Mon, Sep 14

   Introduction to open-loop motion planning: acceleration, maximum step rate

   • HW1: Stepper motor elevator

6. Wed, Sep 16

   3D printer material deposition process summary and properties

7. Fri, Sep 18

   3D printer feedrate effects and printer motion "tuning" (last day to drop)

8. Mon, Sep 21

   Constructive solid geometry and 3D part design in the OpenSCAD programming language

   • HW2: 3D part design

9. Wed, Sep 23

   Parametric 3D parts and scaling up to complex part designs

10. Fri, Sep 25

    Self-replicating 3D printers (Mendel90) and tolerating tolerance stacking in OpenSCAD

    • Project 1 rough draft due

11. Mon, Sep 28

    Divergence theorem and computational geometry: volume properties from surface polygons

    • HW3: Slicing STL to gcode

12. Wed, Sep 30

    Computational geometry for 3D printer slicing/slabbing/support generation algorithms

13. Fri, Oct 02

    Gcode, path planning, and workholding in subtractive CNC machining

14. Mon, Oct 05

    Interfacing Arduino feedback sensors: analog, PWM, and I2C inputs

    • HW4: PID motion control

15. Wed, Oct 07

    PID (Proportional, Integral, Derivative) controllers and closed-loop motion control algorithms

16. Fri, Oct 09

    Tuning PID parameters for 3D printer motion control in the Marlin firmware

17. Mon, Oct 12

    Project 1 presentations

18. Wed, Oct 14

    Project 1 presentations

19. Fri, Oct 16

    Project 1 presentations

20. Mon, Oct 19

    Midterm Exam

    • HW5: UAV control

21. Wed, Oct 21

    Open source UAV flight control with MultiWii

22. Fri, Oct 23

    Tuning UAV attitude and altitude control parameters

    • Project 1 final draft due

23. Mon, Oct 26

    Latency management in MultiWii flight control firmware

    • HW6: Measuring firmware latency

24. Wed, Oct 28

    Latency compensation techniques

25. Fri, Oct 30

    Sensor fusion via weighted averaging and the Kalman filter (Last day for W)

26. Mon, Nov 02

    Network-centric robot teleoperation using the SuperStar web infrastructure

    • HW7: Network programming

27. Wed, Nov 04

    Mobile robot navigation: nonholonomic control and robot drive planning

28. Fri, Nov 06

    SLAM: algorithms for mobile robot localization and navigation in real environments

29. Mon, Nov 09

    A-star algorithm and online obstacle avoidance

    • HW8: Environment detection

30. Wed, Nov 11

    Obstacle detection with infrared reflectance sensors, ultrasonic echo

31. Fri, Nov 13

    Obstacle detection with laser parallax sensors (Neato XV-11, Kinect 360)

    • Project 2 rough draft due

32. Mon, Nov 16

    Introduction to OpenCV and computer vision techniques: color matching

    • HW9: OpenCV

33. Wed, Nov 18

    Computer vision localization: machine-readable markers with ArUco

34. Fri, Nov 20

    Managing compute latency in OpenCV

35. Mon, Nov 23

    Comparing localization methods: GPS, vision, obstacle, odometry

36. Wed, Nov 25

    BEAM robots and holistic localization

37. Thu, Nov 26

    Thanksgiving holiday (no classes, most offices closed)

38. Mon, Nov 30

    Integrated robot designs: MATE Underwater ROV

39. Wed, Dec 02

    Integrated robot designs: NASA Robotic Mining Contest

40. Fri, Dec 04

    Integrated robot designs: NASA Sample Return Challenge

41. Mon, Dec 07

    Project 2 presentations

42. Wed, Dec 09

    Project 2 presentations

43. Fri, Dec 11

    Project 2 presentations

44. Mon, Dec 14

    Course recap and future directions

45. Fri, Dec 18

    Final exam, 3:15-5:15pm, Chapman 104

    • Project 2 final draft due

Grading Policies

Grades will be assigned based on the following percentage intervals:

A+

[99%, 100%)

A

[93%, 99%)

A-

[90%, 93%)

B+

[87%, 90%)

B

[83%, 87%)

B-

[80%, 83%)

C+

[77%, 80%)

C

[73%, 77%)

C-

[70%, 73%)

D+

[67%, 70%)

D

[63%, 67%)

D-

[60%, 63%)

F

[0%, 60%)

Access To Hardware

Since it is difficult to understand robots and 3D printers without actually using robots and 3D printers, we have collected a variety of this equipment in Chapman 205 for enrolled students to use, including a variety of ground and air mobile robots, and several generations of 3D printers.  Much of this equipment can also be purchased relatively inexpensively, and we encourage students to buy at least an Arduino Mega microcontroller for dedicated access.

Late Work Policy

Late work will not be graded, unless it is due to circumstances beyond your control, or if you turn it in before I begin grading. I may begin grading at any time after the due date, even 12:01am the next day. You are encouraged to inquire if I have begun grading yet, since this acts as a reminder for me to do so.

Policies

Students are expected to be at every class meeting on time, and are responsible for all class content, whether present or not. If absence from class is necessary, in-class work (other than quizzes) and homework may be made up only if the instructor is notified as soon as possible; in particular, absences due to scheduled events must be arranged ahead of time. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated, and will be dealt with according to UAF procedures. Students in this class must pay the CS lab fee.

UAF academic policies http://www.uaf.edu/catalog/current/academics

CS Department policies http://www.cs.uaf.edu/departmental-policies/

Disabilities Services:

The UAF Office of Disability Services implements the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and ensures that UAF students have equal access to the campus and course materials. I will work with the UAF Office of Disability Services (208 WHITAKER BLDG, 474-5655) to provide reasonable accommodation to students with disabilities.